Tsunade looked out the window at Konoha Village, which remained prosperous under the setting sun yet seemed as if it could be swallowed by shadows at any moment. The smiles of her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Dan flashed through her mind.
Ultimately, it transformed into that undeniable sense of responsibility she felt when she firmly ordered the "initiation of the Five Kage Summit" in the heavenly screen.
After a long time, she took a deep breath, as if to suppress all the hesitation, unwillingness, and shadows of the past within her heart.
She raised her head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Though still carrying fatigue and a hint of disgust, the decisiveness and dominance belonging to "Princess Tsunade" were reignited.
"This mess..." Her voice regained its former clarity and strength, carrying a weight of resignation, "...I'll take it."
When Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya heard Tsunade say "I'll take it," a look of relieved joy had just appeared on their faces, only to be instantly frozen by her subsequent words, which were as cold as ice.
"But, Old Man," Tsunade's gaze was like a torch, staring at Hiruzen Sarutobi without backing down, as she said coldly: "I can be this Hokage. But I will pursue accountability for certain past issues or individuals. You... won't mind, right?"
These words were like the sharpest Kunai, pointing directly at the core!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed instantly, his lips stammering a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He had fantasized about Tsunade taking over the burden and using her prestige to stabilize the situation, while he might still exert some influence behind the scenes to maintain a sort of decent balance.
But Tsunade clearly had no intention of letting the shadows of the old era continue to shroud Konoha; she wanted a complete reckoning and transformation!
Seeing her teacher's embarrassed state, the contemptuous sneer on Tsunade's face grew even stronger: "So, Old Man, you've got a fine plan. You just want to throw away this immense responsibility, while keeping your power and the treatment of being absolved of past wrongs? You don't want to pay any price at all; where in the world is there such a good deal?"
These words were truly heart-piercing, stripping away Hiruzen Sarutobi's hidden motives and leaving his old face completely unable to maintain its composure, turning shades of blue and white.
Hiruzen Sarutobi forced a final bit of dignity and said hoarsely: "I... I didn't mean that! For the sake of Konoha... we'll... we'll do as you say!"
However, this late, struggling "compromise" sounded like nothing but hypocrisy to Tsunade.
She snorted coldly and stopped looking at him.
Just as the atmosphere reached a peak of tension, Jiraiya, who had been silent, slowly stood up.
His movement broke the frozen air and drew the attention of both.
"Tsunade," Jiraiya's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power, "do whatever you want to do. Leave the rest... to me."
"Eh?" Tsunade was stunned, momentarily failing to grasp the meaning of Jiraiya's words.
In her impression, although this old pervert was reliable, most of the time he was joking around and rarely took the initiative to shoulder responsibility so explicitly.
Jiraiya didn't look at Tsunade. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the grim-faced Hiruzen Sarutobi. Those eyes, which usually carried a smile, were now as sharp as an eagle's, containing a bottomless chill and determination.
"Old Man, I hope you don't disappoint us." Jiraiya's tone remained steady, but the content of his words caused the air temperature to plummet, "Any person or force... that hinders the Village's rebirth... I don't mind eradicating them personally."
Eradicating!
When this word came from his mouth, it carried a murderous aura like a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. It formed a massive contrast with his usual hearty and unrestrained image, making its weight even more apparent!
Mad Demon Jiraiya!
Don't truly think that Jiraiya is just a hearty man!
When it comes to killing, he doesn't hesitate at all!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils shrank suddenly, and his face became even more somber.
He knew his disciple too well.
He seemed easygoing normally, but once his bottom line was touched, his decisiveness and methods were far colder than they appeared!
Jiraiya was making an explicit statement that he would use iron-fisted methods to clear all obstacles for Tsunade's reforms, even if those "obstacles" came from former comrades or his teacher!
After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have all his strength drained. He nodded dejectedly and squeezed out a single word from his throat: "...Fine."
Having received this answer, the sharp aura on Jiraiya's body vanished instantly, and he returned to his usual smiling self.
Then he said to the still-dazed Tsunade, "See? Isn't it resolved? Tsunade, do whatever you want to do."
Tsunade looked at the instantly transformed Jiraiya with an incredibly strange expression, as if she were truly seeing this man for the first time.
But this was the real Jiraiya.
The man who could say to the woman he deeply loved, "If you ever threaten Konoha, I will kill you."
If he could say he'd kill even Tsunade, he certainly wouldn't hesitate with anyone else!
Beneath his heartiness and lack of restraint was a hidden, almost paranoid will to protect Konoha.
For this belief, he could become the coldest guardian, clearing all obstacles, whether they were external enemies or... internal troubles.
Tsunade took a deep breath. The last trace of hesitation in her eyes completely vanished, replaced by the unstoppable resolve belonging to the Fifth Hokage.
The decision for the power transition that had just settled in the Hokage Office was quickly put into action.
Perhaps wanting to hand over the hot potato as soon as possible, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately issued an order through the Anbu:
Urgent convening of a Jonin meeting!
When the order reached the ears of the various clan heads and the Jonin in the Village, it didn't trigger a sense of urgency, but rather a wave of suppressed complaints and silent mockery.
"Another Jonin meeting? There have been more meetings lately than in the entire past year!"
"It must be some trouble caused by those lords that needs us to collectively clean up the mess."
"What else could it be? It's nothing more than those bad debts exposed by the heavenly screen. Now they want to drag us down with them to share the pressure."
"Hmph, it's always like this. They summon us when something goes wrong, but they don't really listen to our opinions normally."
Nara Shikaku rubbed his throbbing temples and whispered to Akimichi Choza and Inoichi Yamanaka beside him: "This time, I'm afraid it won't be as simple as just cleaning up a mess... After the heavenly screen, the sky over Konoha is about to change."
The Head of the Hyuga Clan remained expressionless, but a hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes.
He sensed an unusual atmosphere.
The truth of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, the future of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the hidden strength of the Sarutobi Clan, the pressure from external hidden villages... All this explosive information piled together had already made the seemingly solid edifice of Konoha teeter.
At this time, both Tsunade and Jiraiya had returned.
These two were not on the same side as the Konoha Leadership!
Calling another emergency Jonin meeting now would definitely not be for a simple notification or discussion.